In this file photo, Albany High Principal Angela Shumate, right, sits with lawyers during her tribunal.

ALBANY, Ga. — Suspended Albany High School Principal Angela Shumate’s career is back on track after the Dougherty County School Board voted 5-2 at a special called meeting Monday to reinstate her to the position.

Shumate’s hiring met a Monday deadline set by the state Department of Education to name a permanent principal for the SIG (School Improvement Grant) school, unlocking nearly $2 million in frozen federal funding.

She had been reassigned by the Board in January after being linked by state CRCT investigators to alleged cheating while principal at Morningside Elementary. Scott Horton served as interim principal in her absence.

Because Albany High is a SIG school, the GaDOE insisted the district hire a permanent principal by Oct. 29. In addition, the state demanded to be involved in the hiring process of that principal.

Shumate, Horton and Kono Smith were the three finalists for the position. Superintendent Joshua Murfree recommended Shumate and all BOE members, except for Darrel Ealum and Carol Tharin, approved the hire.

“The state put in a detailed applicant interview process, “ Board member David Maschke, explaining his ‘yes’ vote, said. “The superintendent reported that along each step of the way, Shumate came out on top.”

In August, Shumate went before an outside administrative tribunal which recommended she be reissued a new contract.

“The state had a person (John Cable) and was on the committee that recommended her (Shumate) as a the top person for the job,” Board chair James Bush said. “And five board members agreed with that recommendation. The tribunal had early determined that she was not guilty, and she withstood all the tests.”

Shumate’s reinstatement leaves just one principal and one high school in limbo. Dougherty High still has and interim principal as the Board awaits a recommendation from Murfree as to the fate of suspended principal Jose Roquemore.

“We have gone through a period of great trial and tribulation.” Bush said. “We’ve gone through so much I hope some good can come out of all the bad.”

In other action the Board voted 4-2 to send International Studies Elementary Charter School’s charter renewal proposal to the state just days before Thursday’s deadline.

Yes, she was the principal there prior to her re assignment during the crct fiasco. She was re-assigned by Murfree who should have known that during the crct fiasco, she would be removed...ALL of this has created a TERRIBLE interruption and disruption for the teaching and learning environment AND NOW we have yet another interruption and disruption for the teachers, staff, and students. Just when things seemed to have been stabilized and discipline restored...Murfree & school board, this is WRONG on so many levels! Murfree should have considered all of these things when Mrs. Marshall was transferred from Albany High...poor, poor decision making and leadership. The sad thing is that more than likely faculty, staff and students, probably had to learn of this decision through the media. I feel sorry for everyone at Albany High School.

Hey Coach Horton, thanks for your leadership, but we're going to put a cheater back in who was sent over here originally because her school was failling terribly! Scott, turn around and i'll see if i can get that knife out for ya

I feel bad for Coach Horton he is what they need over there to have things under proper school rules. Now the kids are going to run wild again, if I was him I would resign. THANKS COACH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!!!!

Who is on the Board right now? I've lost my scorecard and I can't keep up. Obviously Griffin, Bush, Riggins, Williams, Ealum, Tharin....who am I missing? Who were to two NO votes? (The ones with a backbone....)

@Tonto, according to Atty Tommy Coleman, they could have taken (to use your words "shot" @ her) action as soon as she refused to participate in the internal investigation, which is different from a criminal investigation. Most employers require as a condition of your employment that you FULLY participate in employment inquiries ie answer questions when it comes to allegations of employment misconduct. She refused and I cannot recall Atty Coleman's exact words, but they were to the affect that anyone who refuses to participate in the DCSS in house investigation would be disciplined...so what happened there I don't know, but the whole thing is so unfair to everyone @ AHS who has worked hard to pull this school up only to be jerked around AGAIN by the DCBOE.

How can you legally take her job from her if she was found "not guilty" by a tribunal? Tommy Coleman probably advised the board that a lawsuit could come from them not allowing her to get her job back. I think their decision was based on some legal advice.

Yeah, she could have sued if they had not taken this action at this time, but way back when she flat out refused to answer questions posed to her by her own employer...yeah, that was the time to do something...now it's a little too little, a little too late for flat out dismissal, but they should have found another place for her, AHS had made so much progress and I think her re instatement will be detrimental to that progress! God Bless you Coach Horton & Mr. Smith for all that you and your staff have done. I hate the powers that be could not see, acknowledge and reward you for the great things that have been done in Dr. Shumate's absence.

There is a big differance between NOT GUILTY and insufficient evidance. Plus what about the part of the rules that said the person would cooperate in an investigation? That part was violated. In Industry they would use it to take the job anyway, as it would be considered permafacia evidance of guilt. That is a Contract, and isn't covered by the Fifth. So why is she still even employed?

The real question is "Did the State have a say in the decision? Or has Murfree (once again) excercised his God Given Genius an operated independently?" Based on the past two years........I'd would expect the latter.

You are probably right redneck that Coleman probably advised them that this was not the time to take her job from her, but way back when she flat out refused to participate in the internal investigation...that was the time to show her the door. As an employee, you accept certain things as a condition of your employment, when you decide you no longer want to accept those things, then your employer has the right to no longer employ you! Georgia is an at will work state, DCSS is under no obligation to continue your employment if you violate policy/procedure significant enough to justify your dismissal. The proper thing for the board to do @ this point, b/c it's really been too long since her refusal to cooperate with the internal investigation is to simply re-assign her, NOT disrupt the order and stability that has been in place @ AHS for the last 9+ months. This was just not fair @ all to anyone especially those who have to work and learn at AHS. Coach Horton and Mr. Smith as well as their staff have done an excellent job turning this school around. I am just sorry that a majority of the school board did not have the intelligence to acknowledge and reward your faithful service and progress.

Just remember you have people on the board that got elected primarily because he put on fish frys after the flood of 1994 for his neighborhood. When JuneBug ran for the DCSS many of the people said just that He did fish frys for us. So he Junebug was voted in on a platform of Catfish and Hush Puppies. Junebug is a likeable guy im sure but the DCSS Board is trying to manage $$$ millions of dollars in local tax money and millions in government funds. Junebug does not list any education, not even high school in his DCSS bio.
We havr #34 Murfree, Junebug and Velvet Riggins making these decisions like putting Shumate back in charge.

The Dougherty County School System is a shining example of why a YES vote should be cast for Charter Schools! People are elected for a school board based on the color of their skin and FISH FRYs!? REALLY PEOPLE?! Incompetent, questionable people are KEPT on the school board and in positions of leadership because once elected, it is hard to get rid of them! VOTE YES to Charter Schools!!

Im going to buy a few BLACK PERMANENT MARKERS, and cover my entire body, so I can get away with anything, sue and get paid, cheat and keep my job, or hell just not work and still get paid. With me turning black I will get everything and the government wont think twice because I will become African American, even though I never lived or visited Africa!

they could have moved her to another school or put her in a teaching or A.P. position. She is employed by the DCSS NOT Albany HS! They can move people around at anytime (this is how she came to this school in the first place)! There would be no legal challenge to them moving her. Don't even have to show cause! Who is she buddies with? Why was she moved from another school, that she failed at, to run a HS where there is more to handle? Vote out the incompetent board members! But DON'T vote for ammend. 1.

I lived and raised my three children in Albany. All are graduates of Albany High. The school board has sunk their credibility to a new low with this reinstatement. The abuse of the tax dollar goes on and on................. Abuse like this is what puts middle of the road democrats like me on the right side of the isle. I say yes to charter schools!

I voted Yes for charter schools. The only reason the DCSS wants everyone to vote NO, is so they can keep doing the same sorry job they have been doing. It is all about the money. Competition is a good thing. Public vs. charter, we shall see.

We need to clean the BOE out... There are a few good ones out there. We need to have some kind of qualifications set forth, I'm sure JuneBug is a helluva nice guy, so is the guy who rotates my tires, that doesnt mean i want him making decisions on my child's education and balancing the school systems budget!! The sad thing is that a lot of peope who want to have people there just because they are black... I dont care, I guarantee that 95% of the kids in DCSS doesnt care what color the BOE members are!!!